Album: Steve Kuhn Trio / Joe Lovano, Mostly Coltrane, (ECM)

Veteran pianist Steve Kuhn – who worked with John Coltrane in 1960 – is such a smooth and harmonically sophisticated player that for the iconic opening tune, "Welcome", he and Lovano on tenor sax seem almost too subtle for such a simple, emotionally intense theme.

But prolonged exposure lets the thoughtful style shine through. A trio version of "I Want to Talk About You" and closing solo composition "Trance" are among the best tracks. Drummer Joey Baron excels, too.